At the end of the day, the only thing that will keep us together is the glue of the gospel.
Sermon Title: PAUL’S JOYOUS CONFIDENCE
Sermon Text: PHILIPPIANS 1:1-11 (ESV)
Sermon Series: PHILIPPIANS: FINDING JOY IN THE JOURNEY
By: PTR NESTOR SY
Sermon Notes:
PHILIPPIANS 1:1-8 ESV
1 Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus, To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are at Philippi, with the overseers and deacons:
2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
3 I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, 4 always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy, 5 because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now. 6 And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ. 7 It is right for me to feel this way about you all, because I hold you in my heart, for you are all partakers with me of grace, both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel. 8 For God is my witness, how I yearn for you all with the affection of Christ Jesus.
I. GRATITUDE
Reflect
Are people thankful when they remember us?
II. JOY
partnership | Greek: koinónia
“fellowship.”
At the end of the day, the only thing that will keep us together is the glue of the gospel.
ACTS 16:15 ESV
15 And after she was baptized, and her household as well, she urged us, saying, “If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come to my house and stay.” And she prevailed upon us.
PHILIPPIANS 4:16 ESV
16 Even in Thessalonica you sent me help for my needs once and again.
PHILIPPIANS 4:15 ESV
15 And you Philippians yourselves know that in the beginning of the gospel, when I left Macedonia, no church entered into partnership with me in giving and receiving, except you only.
PHILIPPIANS 4:18 ESV
18 I have received full payment, and more. I am well supplied, having received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent, a fragrant offering, a sacrifice acceptable and pleasing to God.
The Philippians didn’t just come to share Paul’s faith; they came to share Paul’s mission.
What are you waiting for?
What happened to your excitement?
What happened to your partnership in the gospel?
Reflect
When people think about us and see what we do, would they think about our partnership with the gospel?
III. CONFIDENCE
PHILIPPIANS 1:6 ESV
6 And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.
You don’t start with yourself. It is God who starts with you.
God saves us completely, permanently, eternally.
When Paul looked at that church in Philippi, he could only express his confidence. Why? Because he saw the fruit!
Direction makes all the difference.
Reflect
When people look at you, when people look at us in this church, do they see the good work that God is doing in us?
We offer ourselves to something or someone all the time.